Govt may go back to monthly billing of power

Govt may go back to monthly billing of power

Sivakumar.B@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 5.8.2020

Tamil Nadu government is mulling changing the electricity billing cycle of domestic consumers from bimonthly to monthly system, said state power minister P Thangamani on Tuesday.

“We will have to discuss it with the chief minister before taking a decision. There is a demand for returning to the monthly cycle. We have to take a call on this,” said Thangamani.

Changing the billing cycle with the current tariff system would provide major benefits to consumers as their tariff will remain in lower slabs as most consumers will not cross 500 units. Moreover, the first 100 units are free for all domestic consumers. It is not clear as of now whether the government has plans to tweak the tariff along with change in the billing cycle. Changing the billing cycle without altering the tariff would be suicidal for the power utility, Tangedco.

People who cross consumption of 500 units bimonthly, after factoring in the 100 free units, are paying Rs 6 per unit at present. Use of air-conditioners, especially in cities like Chennai, leads to power consumption crossing 500 units in the bimonthly cycle.

“The bi-monthly cycle of billing was introduced in August 1987 as the then TNEB did not want crowding of consumers at bill collection centres. But things have changed a lot now. Only a few consumers pay at collection centres at present. Most consumers make online payment, either using Tangedco App or its website,” said Pattabirambased consumer activist T Sadagopan.

Domestic sector alone follows bimonthly billing cycle at present. All other segments like commercial and industrial are paying monthly bills in Tamil Nadu.

“Lack of adequate assessors was one of the reasons to introduce bimonthly billing cycle for domestic consumers. Moreover, there was no hand-held machine for taking meter reading those days. Everything was done manually and it was not possible to record meter readings every month. Since technological advancements have simplified everything now, it is time we got back to the monthly cycle,” said a senior Tangedco official.

The discom has not got any official communication from the government regarding the change in the billing cycle. Hence, even deliberations have not started, he said.